Letters to the Editor - Nov. 25, 2010

Thursday

Nov 25, 2010 at 12:01 AM

Readers comment on giving thanks, shopping at local stores and taxes.

Thank the CreatorFour hundred years ago, Puritans and other pilgrims came to this country seeking freedom to practice their faiths and establish a new way of life. They faced a multitude of challenges and prayed to their Protector. The country survived.Then, in 1776, our forefathers charted a new course for the nation in the Declaration of Independence by acknowledging our origins as reflected in the words Creator, Nature's God and Divine Providence.Today we are sacrificing in different ways to maintain our freedoms. Governments are instituted to create laws to moderate human behavior based on religious principles and to protect those freedoms that allow our society to prosper.So on this Thanksgiving Day, feel free to offer a prayer of thanks to the Creator of all things, including the blessings of this holiday remembrance.Jack Martin,Gainesville

Thanks to AmericaDespite these hard times this Thanksgiving many people will bow their heads in prayer to give thanks for the good life we live here in America. It is a touching and heartfelt gesture, but those bowed heads would do better to contemplate the soil beneath the dining room floor, not the sky above.The turkey on your plate is not a gift from above, but rather a product of the fertility of the American soil, and the millions of years of evolution required to create this noble bird. Let us give thanks before it is too late for America's rivers, lakes, fields and forests. Due to their bounty we have the bog in which the cranberry grows, the pumpkin that stuffs the pie, the acorn that fattens the turkey, and the turkey itself. These are all native products of our American soil.Bruce Morgan,Archer

Take the pledgeWith the annual "Black Friday" shopping holiday upon us, the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce encourages all within our community to shop locally when buying their gifts for friends and family.To help shoppers identify local stores, we have launched a special website (www.gainesvillebuylocal.com); a Twitter feed on the site allows businesses to publicize special deals during the holiday season.Local stores have made substantial investments in the community, employ thousands and support local nonprofit organizations. Every time we make a purchase out of town or online, we jeopardize local businesses and all the benefits they provide our community.And if you can't find exactly what you are looking for at a local retailer, try asking one to special order the item for you before you hit the road or the Internet.Please pledge to "Buy Local" this holiday season!Brent ChristensenPresident & CEOGainesville AreaChamber of CommerceGainesville

Taxes and rhetoricDuring the build up to the recent elections I heard a lot of rhetoric about taxes. When I began to ask people what level of taxes are acceptable, no one could give me a direct answer.The people of this country want good public education, affordable health care and safe infrastructure. We demand the best trained and equipped military. We agree that we should help the less fortunate by providing opportunities for education and economic advancement.Most agree that appropriate taxation is money that is spent wisely. Fiscal responsibility is not the sole property of a single political party, but belongs to the public servants who remember whose money it is that they are spending. Brian Bixler,Gainesville

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